Yada, Yada, Yada; Go, Go, GoJapans Earns Trip to World
Series Title Game With 3-0 Win Over Mexico

By Brandon Miller
Special Correspondent

They are the best International Little League team in the world, and
on Sunday, they will face the best team from the United States to
find out who is the best of the best in the world.

Japan advanced to the Little League Baseball World Series
Championship Game by virtue of a 3-0 win over Mexico in front of
22,455 fans at Howard J. Lamade Stadium.

Japan improved its record to 5-0 and will face the U.S. Champion
Southeast All-Stars from Columbus, Ga., on Sunday, who earlier beat
the Northwest All-Stars, 7-3, to advance to the title game.

Leading, 3-0, in the bottom of the sixth, Asia’s Seigo Yada was
pitching like he had ice in his veins, until Mexico loaded the bases
with three consecutive singles.

“(The team) didn’t start off as strong today,” said Yada through
interpreter Bill Lundy. “I was putting more power in my pitches so
as the game went on, I got tired and didn’t hit my spots. I thought
I was going to be able to throw strikes and get everyone out.”

“I really had it in my mind that we were going to win this game,”
said Mexico manager Candelario Perez through interpreter Micah
Hughes. “We knew it was going to be a very difficult game and we
knew it was going to be close.”

Japan called on Go Matsumoto to relieve Yada with the bases loaded
and close out the game, which he promptly did.

“The whole game was on the line with the bases loaded,” said
Matsumoto. “I was a bit nervous. I started throwing a few pitches
and I knew it was there. I had a very good fastball.”

Matsumoto retired the first two batters he faced on six consecutive
strikes and then induced Jose Ortiz to hit a dribbler to the first
baseman who flipped to Matsumoto for the final out of the game.

“We’ve had other opportunities like that where we have come back to
win, but we just couldn’t do it today,” said manager Perez. “We’re
just not used to seeing the pitches coming in at 77-78 mph.

As it had done throughout the tournament, Japan used its power to
get on the board.

In the top of the fourth, Yada provided some support for himself by
driving a laser-like home run over the left-field wall for the first
run of the game. It was his fourth home run of the World Series, a
total that leads all players in the tournament.

“I thought (Barron) was great,” said Yada in reference to the fact
that Barron retired the first nine Japan batters he faced. “I knew I
had to do something, so I did.”

Japan then sent up pinch hitter Kohsuke Murata, who promptly
singled. He was followed by Matsumoto, who smashed a towering home
run to left-center field to increase the lead to 3-0. The home run
chased Barron from the game, as Roberto Guajardo came in for relief.

“The home run (pitch) was right down the middle,” said Matsumoto.

If there was any advantage for Mexico having already faced Yada in
the tournament, it wasn’t evident as he coolly retired batter after
batter.

Yada fanned 11 Mexico hitters and only once allowed a runner to
reach third base. His no-hitter was broken up in the bottom of the
sixth when Omar Zamora led off the inning with a sharp line drive
single into right field. It was Zamora’s third time reaching base in
three at-bats after walking in the previous two.

“We weren’t able to adjust to the outside pitches,” said manager
Perez. “We practiced as if we were going to bat against (Yada), but
we just weren’t able to adjust.”

In the first meeting between the teams, Japan overpowered Mexico,
hitting three home runs in one inning on their way to a 6-1 victory.
Yada was the winning pitcher, striking out 12 while contributing one
of the three Japanese homers. His only mistake was a first-inning
home run to Jose Segoviano.

Again today, it was one bad inning that doomed the Mexico squad as
home runs proved the difference once more.